Rail-bracr



B. T; GIBBS, Jn.

RAIL BRACE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1920- Patented Jan. 18, 1921;

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RAIL BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1920.

Pat ented Jan. 18,1921.

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UNITED STATESPATENT FFEC.

BENEDICT '1. GIBBS, JR, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO MURDER FROG 8r CROSSING WORKS, O1 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01' ILLINOIS.

nAiL-naacn useful Improvement in Rail-Braces, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail braces. The

I object of the invention is to provide a dethe same bein vice of this class for use against one side of a rail for adjustably laterally positioning it, and for rigidly securing it in position after wear has taken place between the rail and brace itself, and parts against which the brace bears, the device being especially applicable to rails at and adjacent to switch points whose lateral movementto and from the unsupported side of the rail render the use of spikes or other sechring devices impractical, also on guard rails or on rails on heavy curves. I

The invention consists in a device of this class in which the rail blockproper moves only longitudinally of the base plate on which it 1s mounted, thus insuring effective action of the device in all positions of ad justment; in which all parts of the device are always sufliciently attached to the base plate so that it can be shi ped intact and installed in the track without danger of parts being lost. More particularly the invention consists in such a device which can be easily and cheaply made, which is satisfactory in operation, and is not readily liable to get out'of order. More particularly the invention consists in features and details of construction hereafter more fully set forth in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which similar numerals represent the same parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2,

. Fig. 1, illustrating the device of this invention in its preferred form.

Figs. 3 and 4 are corresponding views of a modified form of device.

In the structure of Figs. 1 and 2 the usual base late 10 is provided adapted to be place on top of an ordinary railroad tie, provided in the case here illustrated wit a surface recess having a bottom surface 12 and. end walls 14 and 16 against the latter of which is placed a bearing block 18 held in place by any suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 18, 1920. serlal lll'o. 378,524. 7

means as rivets 20 having a bearing face 22 extending across the base plate, generally parallel to the central axis of the rail 24 wnose flange 28 normally abuts the wall 14-, heretofore referred to. On the opposite side of the rail 24 and over the opposite flange 30 1s placed the brace block proper 32 having on 1ts side adjacent to the bearing block 18a wedge surface 34 longitudinally angular to the rail and base plate and vertically inclined inwardl Filling the angular space between this surface 34 and the sur face 22 is a triangular wedge member 36 supported upon a horizontal base flange 38 lying under the base of the brace block 32 and occupying substantiall the entire space between rail flange 30 an bearing surface 22. The face of block 32 which engages face 34 of the wedge is vertically inclined outwardly of the block to fit said face 34 so that t e wedge presents upward spring of the block along the surface 34. This base flange 38 of the wedge is provided with slots 40 parallel to the axis of the rail 24 while the adjacent portion of the brace block 32 is provided with slots 42 elongated in a direction at right angles to the rail 24. Each one of the slots 42 crosses an adjacent one of the slots 40 and through their intersection there rises from the base plate 10 a bolt or the like 44, mountedin the base plate in any suitable manner and provided with a suitable nut 46 adapted when screwed down to securely clamp the brace block 32, the wedge flange 38, and the plate 10 all together. 3

The narrower portion of wedge 36 is provided with a horizontally extending top flange 48 extending over the adjacent angular edge of the brace block 32. This ange 48 and the ad'acent portion of base flange 38 are provide with registerin holes 50 t rough selective pairs of-which, t e cot ter pin 52 is inserted as near as possible to the edge 56 of plate 10 and edge of brace block 32 after the wedge has been driven to place.

In the operation of this structure assume that some wear has taken place at the surface 14 or between the rail and brace block or anywhere else in the structure, and that the rail is to be adjusted so that wear of any arts is taken up. The operator simply oosens nut 46 until the wed e 36 can be moved whereupon he strikes t e lower end of the wed e 36 and drives it upward as 32 upon the base flange 38 of the wedge and upon the flange 30 of the rail, whereupon both the wedge and the rail are securely held in place upon the base 10. This is important 'when the structure is used in connection with a switch point, (not shown) which has to move so close to the left side of rail 24: that spikes or other ordinary securing devices cannot be inserted adjacent to the rail. In the modified structure of Figs. 3 and 4: the'base plate, rail and bearing block are the same, except that the substituted bearing block 60 has its bearing face 62 corresponding to face 22 of Fig. 1 located at an angle to the rail instead. of parallel to it. In this modified structure, as before, there is a brace block 6% having in its portion immediatel adjacent to the base plate 10 slots 66 elongated at right angles to the rail, so that this brace block may be moved at right angles to the rail but cannot move longitudinally of the rail or transversely in the base plate. In this modified structure the wedge device consists of a more or less triangular horizontal wedge plate 68 having one angular face en gaging bearing surface 62, heretofore referred to, and on its opposite side an upwardly extending lug 7 0 extending parallel with the rail entering, traveling along, and bearing against the wall of a recess 72 formed in the under side of the brace block 64. As in the previous construction this angular face between the left side of lug 7 O and block 64 is inclined vertically downward into the wedge and member 68 whereby the opposing face of block 64 is caught under this wedge and cannot jump up. This brace block as in the preferred construction, is provided with elongated slots 76 at a substantial angle to the slots 66, heretofore referred to, these slots in the case here illustrated being elongated parallel to the angular face 62 of the wedge.

The member 70, heretofore referred to, is provided with a plurality of transverse per- ,forations 74 adapted to be selectively entered by cotter pin 75 corresponding in function to cotter pin 52 which is entered in the last hole in the member 70 which is nearest adjacent to the edge 78 of bearing block 62 when the wedge 68 is driven to final adjustment.

As in the preferred construction, the intersecting points between the slots 66 and 76 are occupied by bolts 80 rising from the plate 10 tightenable by nuts 82. As in the preferred construction the device is adjusted by loosening these nuts 82, then driving the wedge 68 upward as viewed in Fig. 3, replacing the cotter pin 75 in the hole just then outside of the edge of the brace block and then tightening up the bolts 80 or equivalent fastening device.

In the particular case here illustrated, the bolts 44 and 80 are shown as having countersunk heads entering the bottom of the plate 10 with nuts above the respective blocks 32 and 64, but these are wholly unessential details, forming no part of the invention, as

bolts or their equivalent may be inserted in plate for use over a tie, a rail across the plate,

a bearing block on the plate at one side of and beyond the rail, a wedge member slidable, and resting upon the plate, a brace block engaging the rail on one side and the wedge member on the other side, adapted as the wedge is moved parallel with the rail to be moved thereby transversely of the rail, there being a portion on said bearing block extending over said wedge, securing members on the base plate passing through the wedge and the bearing block, through elongated slots in the brace block and the wedge member at substantial angles to each other, so that the brace block can only move at right angles to the rail and the wedge can only move transversely thereof to so move the brace block.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a plate for use over a tie, a rail across the plate a bearing block on the plate at one side 0' and beyond the rail, a wedge member slidable and resting upon the plate, a brace block slidable longitudinally of a vertical surface on the wedge inclined downwardly in the body of the wedge and outwardly from the body of the block, a brace block engaging the rail on one side and the wedge member on the other side adapted as the wedge is moved parallel with the rail to be moved thereby transversel of the rail, there being a portion on said caring block extending over said wedge, securing members on the base plate passing through the wedge and the bearing block, through elongated slots in the brace block and the wedge member at llt substantial angles to each other, so that the ing elongated slots in it at right angles to taking place longitudinally of a verticalthe rail, a wedge engaging the brace block and adapted to move transversely thereof to move said brace block in the direction of the length of its elongated slots, there being also elongated slots in the wedge member overlapping the elongated slots of the brace block at such an angle thereto that the wedge member can so move the brace block, a base plate sustaining the wedge and having supports rising therefrom throu h said elongated slots, and means on sai supports for detachably securing the brace block and wedge together.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a brace block adapted to engage the rail having elongated" slots in it at right angles to the rail, a wedge engaging the brace block and adapted to move transversely thereof to move said brace block in the direction of the length of its'elongated slots, said movement surface on the wedge inclined downwardly in the body of the wedie and outwardly elongated slots in the wedge member over lapping the elongated slots of the brace block at such an angle thereto that the wedge member can so move the brace block, a base plate sustaining the wedge and having supports rising therefrom throu h said elongated slots, and means on sai supports for detachably securing "the brace ock and wedge together.

5. In mechanism of a, class described, a

base plate, a wedge member bearing upon there being alsothe base plate and movable transversely thereof so that one face of the wedge member engages a bearin surface on the base' plate, a brace block or a rail fitting over the wedge member and enga ed by it to be moved longitudinally ofthe. ase plate, and means en aging the base plate, wedge and brace bloc or detachably securin them together in different predetermine positions.

6. Inmechanism of the class described, a

selective base plate having a bearing face for a wedge extending across the base plate and a face at a point remote therefrom and parallel thereto for a rail, a rail extendin late bearing against sai last mentioned ace, a wedge having a relatively high portion bearing on said first mentioned face of the base plate, and a lower base flange extending erefrom toward the rail a brace block occupying substantially all of the space betweenthe wedge flange and adjacent rail flange engaging the rail and resting upon the base flange of the wedge and bearing against a wedge face formed on said base of the wedge an ular to said first mentioned face of the we ge which engages the'base plate, a bolt extendin from the base plate through intersecting e ongated slots, one in the brace block, the other'in the flange of the wedge and at right angles thereto, whereby on loosening the bolt the wedge may be moved to move the brace block and on tightening the bolt the brace block and wedge are secured to the base late.

In witness whereof, I have ereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two across the base 

